1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to metal decorative pins having a photographic image reproduced directly onto a surface of the metal pin and a method for reproducing the color photographic image directly onto a metal surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Decorative pins and buttons displaying names, logos, symbols and images of products are an interesting part of popular culture in many countries and have been worn and collected by people for decades. In the past it has been popular to collect an assortment of decorative pins displaying a variety of images ranging from anti-war slogans to diagrammatic images of rock stars.
However, the decorative pins of the past, especially those made of metal, were limited in that there was no known process for reproducing a high-quality photographic image having a high degree of image resolution directly onto the surface of the metal used to make the pin. Instead, a photographic image was first printed onto a piece of paper or similar porous material which was subsequently laminated onto the metal surface with an adhesive material. As a result, there was a detectable border from the paper underlying the image surrounding the perimeter of the photographic image which detracted from the aesthetic appeal of the ultimate product. Moreover, because the image was first printed onto paper, even if photography paper was used, the resolution of the image was not as high as that of an image which is printed directly onto a metal surface.
Therefore, there exists a need for a method for producing a high quality photographic image directly onto the surface of a metal pin that is inexpensive and easy to manufacture.